Advice, tips and insight from a veteran Dungeon Master.

Lazy Players (how not to be one).

So in this post I want to talk about being a player, and your responsibility to the group and the game. So If you are playing or want to play in a Role Playing Game this is aimed at YOU, and not the DM of Game Master!

Being a DM takes work. Lots and lots of work. Countless hours are spent creating worlds, NPCs, adventures and encounters etc, or at the very least pouring over pre-exisiting content or modules so that you can deliver a great game to your players. Where as the players just get to show up and have fun right? WRONG!

A player has plenty of responsibility and work too do, and in order to fully contribute to the overall experience of the group, should be expected to ensure that his or her work is done. A players work does not stop once his character and backstory are written, yet a surprising amount of players seem to think that it does. These are “Lazy Players” and we are going to go into detail about what your responsibilities are as a player, so that you do not become one of these parasites who just show up, play and go home, without giving their best to the gaming group and hard working DM.

Character Creation.

We shall begin with the obvious responsibility to the player which is creating his or her character. Weather your DM encourages you to work with the other players and himself during this step or not, you have the task of creating a well thought out, balanced and fun character. It is this reason why I advise a session zero, where the group can bounce ideas around and make sure they are coming up with a party of characters that works. Not just together, but in the gaming world provided by the DM. The player should read the information regarding the character class and race they intend to play thoroughly, and ask questions of the DM where pertinent.

Character Backstory.

Unless you are starting your character as an infant, then he has had some life prior to beginning his life as an adventurer. Creating a backstory is an important aspect of creating a well developed character. Some people like brief paragraphs, others like ten page essays. how much in depth you go is up to you, but I would check with your DM too see how much of it he cares too see before you do a ten page master piece that he is just not going to read. Of course you can still do as much work as you want, but if its a novella, you may want an abridged version for your DM. When creating the backstory, it is a good idea to speak with the DM prior to or during writing, to help ensure the backstory and world work together. The DM can also provide details on locations, NPCs land marks etc, so that their is some continuity and help make your character feel local to the world or region. Remember, a good back story can help the DM involve your character more in the campaign ahead. You can find more info on character Backstory creation here.

OK and we are done. lets just show up and play now….. WAIT! there is more.

Basic Rules Knowledge.

As a player you should do your best to have an understanding of the basic core rules of the game, and if you are new you need to make sure the DM and other players know this. A good read of the key elements of the players handbook is strongly advised, so that you can grasp what is happening and participate without asking a thousand questions like “So how do I roll to hit?” or ” Whats a saving throw?” You are not expected to know everything but know enough to show up and play. You will learn more over time.

Rules that apply to your character.

As well as the basic rules you will be expected to know the rules that apply to your character. You need to know what your feats and skills do. What damage your weapons do. What your characters spells and or special abilities do. It is frustrating for everyone around the table when a player says something like ” I have this spell called Burning Hands what does it do?” Sorry but if you are going to play a Role Playing Game get used to reading and doing some research. Its part of the game, and expected. It is not the DMs job to tell you how to do every little thing (although no good DM minds being asked questions to some degree), it is yours. If you do not know your stuff, it slows the game down for everyone at the table, not just you, and that is poor player etiquette. Now if you are about to be a brand new player, do not panic as you read this. True new players will typically be cut some slack, but do not take advantage of other players or your DM when they help you out. At the earliest opportunity, do your homework!

Developing your character as you go.

If you went to the trouble of creating a good back story, it should also include some basic personality traits. At the start of play you should know how your character sees the world, and others. However as the game progresses, and your character becomes part of different events and witnesses different occurrences, it should shape and change your character. Not just on the character sheet in regards to going up levels and getting more hit points or abilities etc, but as an individual. If your character witnesses a vile and grotesque act for the first time, how would that make them feel? If they see an entire town butchered by ogres, how has this event altered their opinion in regards to these creatures? This is something that a player should do EVERY session and continue throughout the campaign. When you leave the gaming table, you should do some work before the next session and bother to THINK about this stuff. If you feel it could be character changing, then talk to your DM so that he is aware of a fundamental change that may be coming in future sessions. Make sure that you can maintain continuity of a change. for example if your character is almost eaten by ghouls, and you decide that he now has a rational fear of such creatures, it needs to continue throughout play until an even occurs that may change it. Do not have a fear of undead one session and then completely dismiss it the next.

Do your home work between sessions.

As mentioned in the section above, you are expected to do some work between each session. It is not just limited to thinking about the session before and what it meant to your character, it is also continuing to learn your abilities (as they change) and new spells etc, trying to improve your skills as a player, and generally thinking how to contribute more to each game session. For example. If you felt you meta gamed a little to much, then think how to lessen doing it. If you feel you are weak in describing your characters actions, read some novels or google some info to help you become better at describing them. If you really do not understand what other players characters do, then do some research and remember to have your character ask them about themselves next session. Your DM is working hard between sessions to continue to bring you fun content, support him and the rest of your fellow players by doing your part.

In Closing.

It is ultimately every players responsibility to TRY to improve and be a better player. Role Playing Games are a group activity. As such each person at the table contributes. Its not fair on the rest of the group to just show up and give a minimal effort. You owe it to the other players and your DM to be as good as you can be. Improving takes time and is a gradual thing, but you should always be striving for betterment.

In the end it all comes down to BOTHERING! Can you be bothered to do the work? well honestly if you can not, then you have no right to expect anyone else (including the DM) to do their part either. And if you are OK with that, this probably is not the hobby for you……